Research on veterans and STEM degrees by professor Regina Werum, graduate students Sela Harcey and Alice MillerMacPhee, and alumnus Jacob Absalon was published in Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, the American Sociological Association's open access journal.
The group used 2014–2018 data from the American Community Survey to answer two questions: To what extent is military service associated with higher rates of earning a bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field (vs. a non-STEM field)? To what extent is this relationship gendered?
They found that military service is associated with increased odds of earning a STEM degree, especially for women.
"Women veterans are not just channeled into traditionally female-dominated STEM fields, but rather earn STEM degree earnings in traditionally male-dominated STEM fields," the department posted on Facebook.
The Husker reseachers collaborated with Christina Steidl of the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
"Soldiers to Scientists: Military Service, Gender, and STEM Degree Earning" is available online.
